Almost as if to confirm what Chinjao had said, a massive pirate ship suddenly appeared in the sky.
Yes, the ship wasn't sailing on the sea; it was floating down from the clouds!
There's only one pirate capable of making a ship float and sail like that—Golden Lion Shiki, the legendary pirate who escaped from Impel Down years ago and has a long-standing grudge against Wood.
After escaping from Impel Down, Shiki fought a fierce battle with Wood, exhausting himself. Stranded on a deserted island, he was saved by a group of monkeys. One of those monkeys even became an officer in his newly formed Flying Pirates.
Shiki had been plotting revenge ever since, but he hadn't been able to locate Wood until now. When he learned of Wood's whereabouts, Shiki couldn't resist the opportunity.
Not only could he settle his old grudge, but he could also seize a fortune and expand his crew. Shiki had every reason to get involved.
Cautiously watching from the clouds, Shiki had been waiting for the right moment. But with the Red-Haired Pirates showing up and Shanks' bold words, Shiki couldn't stay hidden any longer.
"A brat from Roger's crew that I wouldn't have given a second glance back then, and now you dare to speak so boldly. You want to protect this Navy brat? Let's see if you've got what it takes!"
Shiki, who had replaced his legs with the legendary swords Oto and Kogarashi, leaped from his ship and unleashed a barrage of slashes aimed directly at the Red Force, attempting to slice it into pieces.
Shiki wasn't the same as when he had first escaped Impel Down. Though he wasn't at his peak due to his missing legs, each of his sword strikes still carried the power of a master swordsman.
Shiki was far stronger than Chinjao, so Shanks didn't take him lightly. He drew his sword, Griffon, and rushed to meet him.
The clash of their slashes sent massive waves rippling across the ocean, and the energy from their swords cut effortlessly through the pirate ships of those nearby, trying to take advantage of the chaos.
While Wood didn't understand why Shanks was helping him, he knew that standing by and watching wasn't the right thing to do, especially when he was the one at the center of it all.
Just as Wood used Moonwalk to step into the battle and assist Shanks against Shiki, a bullet suddenly whizzed toward him from an unexpected angle, stopping him in his tracks.
Though firearms existed in the pirate world, they were generally ineffective against powerful fighters due to the outdated technology of the time. Cannons and rifles posed little threat to those of true strength.
However, the bullet that had just been fired at Wood was anything but ordinary. It had been precisely aimed using advanced Observation Haki, and it was coated in Armament Haki.
Normally, Armament Haki users would harden parts of their bodies to increase their attack power and defense.
But Armament Haki could also be applied to objects like bullets.
Though the hardening effect didn't persist once the Haki left the body, the attached Haki still enhanced the projectile's power.
Mastering this advanced use of Haki wasn't easy—it required a high level of proficiency.
"What's the meaning of this? Isn't Shanks your captain?"
If someone else had attacked Wood, he might have retaliated, but the person who shot at him was from the Red Force, which left him confused.
Wood had wanted to help Shanks, but a member of the Red-Haired Pirates had stopped him.
And the one who had fired the shot wasn't just anyone—it was Ben Beckman, the first mate of the Red-Haired Pirates.
A man with a scarred face, Beckman looked unassuming, but rumors said his strength was comparable to Shanks himself.
"If our captain wants to help you, then we, the Red-Haired Pirates, will do everything we can.
"Staying here will only attract more enemies to you. You'd be better off leaving the New World as soon as possible. As for the enemies here, we'll handle them."
As Beckman spoke, he raised his twin pistols again and fired two shots in different directions.
One shot forced Chinjao back, while the other killed a pirate with a bounty of over 200 million berries in a single shot to the head.
Seeing Beckman's incredible strength and glancing at Shanks and Shiki fighting furiously on a nearby island, Wood hesitated for a moment before deciding to take Beckman's advice and leave using Moonwalk.
As Beckman had said, most of the pirate crews were after him. If he stayed, it would only attract more trouble.
The Red-Haired Pirates were future Emperors of the Sea. Even against someone as strong as Shiki, they wouldn't be defeated.
"Though I don't understand why you're helping me, I'll remember the favor I owe to the Red-Haired Pirates and Shanks!"
With the use of Moonwalk, Wood moved through the air as if walking on solid ground, far outpacing any pirate ship.
Once he crossed the Red Line and returned to the first half of the Grand Line, it would be nearly impossible for any pirate crew to find him and Robin again.
Of course, some pirate crews weren't willing to let Wood go so easily, but in the end, they all met their demise at his hands, buried beneath the sea.
After returning to the Grand Line, Wood used the Vivre Card to quickly reunite with Robin and the others.
The next day, a major headline exploded across the seas:
Red-Haired Pirates Defend Navy Traitor Wood at New World Entrance, Battling Over Fifty Pirate Crews Before Escaping Unscathed.
Among the many pirate crews, the most notable was the Flying Pirates led by the Golden Lion Shiki, who clashed with Shanks for hundreds of rounds, with Shanks not only holding his ground but even injuring Shiki.
Thanks to this battle, the Red-Haired Pirates cemented their reputation in the New World, and Red-Haired Shanks officially rose to the ranks of the top-tier pirates.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 370+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a